DANTEWADA: The
district police, under the anti-naxalite operation launched in Bacheli and
Bhansi areas, arrested a rewarded naxalite Gajru alias Gajloo Telam from
Pujaripara forest of Dhurli area. The government had declared a reward of Rs
5,000 on his head.

According to
sources, the police were informed by confidential sources that an absconding
criminal Gajloo Telam, involved in naxalite related crimes, was seen near his
home village Dhurli. On the tip off, a police team under the guidance of
superintendent of police Kamal Lochan Kashyap and under the leadership of SDOP
Kirandul Mirza Jiyarat Baig, TI Bacheli Yakoob Meman and TI Bhansi Shailendra
Singh conducted a search operation in the forest of Dhurli-Bhansi area.

On seeing the
police team near Pujaripara hills, the accused tried to escape, but the police
surrounded and overpowered him. During interrogation, Telam said that on the
instructions of naxalite commanders he came to his village for preparation of
Naxalite Martyr Week to be observed from June 28 to July 5 and to seek
villagers’ support.

On the indications
given by the arrested naxalite, the police have seized Naxalite Martyr Week
related banners, pamphlets and implements and hammers to be used in destroying
railway tracks from Pujaripara Bediyameta hills.

The accused said
that on the instructions of the Naxalite commanders, on February 10 last, he
came to Nareli Ghati with the intention to attack a police party, but on
getting information about the arrest of Santu Kunjam, Dr Malay Kanjilal,
Batturam and Gopi Markam, he fled from the area. Looking to the serious crimes
committed by the accused, the SP had declared a reward of Rs 5,000 on his head.

According to the
police, Gajloo, on the intervening night of November 26-27 last, had derailed a
train by removing cement sleeper and pedal clip of the track. Gajloo confessed
that he had derailed a goods train by removing the railway line between Kumar
Sarda and Kakloor in May and manhandled with two railway employees at Kakloor
railway station on June 6. He also gave detailed information to the police
about the naxalite associates in Dhurli, Bhansi and Gamawada areas. The Bacheli
police have produced the accused in the court and the court sent him jail on
judicial remand.

With the joint
action by SIB and Dantewada police, 8 naxalite associates had been arrested.
Taking action on the information given by the arrested associates, the police
have launched a search operation against the naxalites. This was the second
naxalite arrest this month.